1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical connectors and, more particularly, to co-axial electrical connectors for connecting co-axial cables having very small diameter signal/power conductors.
2. Prior Art
Termination of micro-conductors to pin or socket contacts in multi-contact pin and socket connectors of the prior art, is time consuming and sometimes unreliable. Each micro-conductor, whether a coaxial conductor, or- a twisted pair conductor, must be individually connected to a pin, or socket contact in the multi-contact connector. Micro-conductors, such as for example 40 AWG or smaller gage conductors, include a power/signal conductor of about 0.003xe2x80x3 diameter or smaller. Conventional contacts for terminating micro-conductors, such as for example, the MONOCRIMP(trademark) or TRIM TRIO(trademark) coaxial contacts disclosed in Burndy catalog pages 3-51, 3-52, have an inner contact terminal with an opening sized for receiving the small gage power/signal conductor and a grounding outer contact. To connect the micro-conductors to each contact in the prior art, the power/signal conductor is inserted into the terminal opening of the inner contact, and the grounding conductor, or grounding sheath for coaxial conductors is inserted into the outer grounding contact. This process is repeated for each conductor terminated to the prior art multi-contact connector. Due to the small size of the conductors, and the small size of the openings in the contacts, insertion of the conductors into the contacts must be precise which has an adverse effect on the installation time for each conductor. When summed for all the conductors individually terminated to the multi-contact connector, the combined effect is significant In addition, the small size of the conductors, and contacts, and the configuration of the connection in the prior art, hampers the user""s ability to determine whether a proper connection has been achieved between conductor and contact. This in turn has an adverse effect on the reliability of the connection between micro-conductors and pin and socket connectors in the prior art. The present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art as will be described in greater detail below.
In accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention, a pin and socket electrical connector is provided. The connector comprises an insulating housing, at least one contact mounted in the insulating housing, and a printed circuit board section connected to the housing. The insulating housing has contact holding channels formed therethrough. The contact mounted to the insulating housing is held in one of the contact holding channels of the insulating housing and has a terminal section of the contact extending from a portion of the housing. The printed circuit board section connected to the housing interfaces between a conductor terminated to the connector and the at least one contact in the housing.
In accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, a pin and socket electrical connector is provided. The electrical connector comprises an insulating housing, coaxial contacts, and a terminal plate. The insulating housing has contact holding openings formed therein. The coaxial contacts are installed in the housing. Each coaxial contact, is held in a corresponding contact holding opening of the housing. The terminal plate is mounted to one end of the housing. The terminal plate has terminal pads for terminating electrical conductors to the terminal plate. Each of the coaxial contacts in the insulating housing is connected to at least one of the terminal pads. The coaxial contacts are disposed relative to the terminal pads on the terminal plate so that the coaxial contacts are connected to the at least one of the terminal pads in one step when the terminal plate is heated.
In accordance with the first method of present invention, a method for terminating an electrical conductor to an electrical connector is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing the electrical connector with an insulating housing, inserting a grounding sleeve into the insulating housing, inserting a pin or socket coaxial contact into the grounding sleeve, mounting a terminal plate to the insulating housing, and heating the terminal plate. The insulating housing has contact holding channels formed therein. The grounding sleeve is inserted into one of the contact holding channels of the insulating housing. The pin and socket coaxial contact is inserted into the contact holding channel having the grounding sleeve therein. The pin and socket coaxial contact is inserted through the grounding sleeve to effect a ground connection between the coaxial contact and grounding sleeve. The terminal plate is mounted to the insulating housing over the contact holding channel with the grounding sleeve and coaxial contact therein. The terminal plate has plated openings through which a portion of the grounding sleeve, and a terminal end of the coaxial contact extend. The plated openings are connected to solder pads on the terminal plate for terminating electrical conductors thereto. The terminal plate is heated to form a solder connection in one step between the grounding sleeve and the terminal plate, and between the coaxial contact and the terminal plate.